Demands for a new province in Aceh mounts

Demands for a new province in Aceh mounts

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Takengon, Central Aceh

Demands have escalated for the formation of a new province,
separate from Aceh, just days before the central government
announces a new policy for the restive province.

Delegates from the five regencies of Gayo Luas, Central Aceh,
Southeast Aceh, Aceh Singkil and Tamiang voiced their aspirations
to unite as a new province, to be called Leuser Antara, in a
dialog with visiting Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen.
Endriartono Sutarto and Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh in Takengon,
Central Aceh, on Wednesday.

Also present at the dialog were Maj. Gen. M. Djali Yusuf,
chief of the Iskandar Muda Military Command overseeing Aceh, Rear
Admiral Leo Dumais, assistant to the Navy chief on operational
affairs, Rear Marshal Wartoyo, an assistant to the Air Force
chief on operational affairs and Maj. Gen. Harry Kosasih, who is
an assistant to the Army chief on operational affairs.

Central Aceh Regent Mustafa Tami said the majority of people
in the five regencies were demanding the new province's formation
to free them from the ongoing conflict in Naggroe Aceh
Darussalam.

"Pak Commander, now is the right time to release us from the
continuing grievance of having supported a unitary state," he
said before the military chief and local officials.

A similar call was also aired before Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a
similar dialog with local officials and religious and informal
leaders on Tuesday.

The new province was first proposed by the delegates of the
five regencies in their meeting with Susilo in Jakarta early last
month.

Susilo made a three-day visit to the region to seek input from
locals before the government announces its new policy against
separatism in the province on Aug. 19.

Locals said the five regencies remained neutral in the issue
of separatism and would continue supporting a unitary state. They
said the military should support the proposed province to help
improve their welfare and to prove they are against the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM).

Locals said their demand for a new province was based on the
reasoning that the five regencies differed from others from
cultural and ethnic perspectives.

Munawir Rajali, 37, a furniture businessman, said cultural
aspects in the five regencies were different from those in North
and East Aceh.

"We want to form a new province since GAM is trying to force
the implementation of Islamic law. People in the five regencies
are not serious about that," he said.

Nazaruddin, a civil servant in the Central Aceh
administration, voiced his pessimism on the proposed province's
ability to finance its affairs since it had no natural resources.

According to the regional autonomy law, the formation of a new
province entails a long legal procedure, legislation and in-depth
studies, which involve the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
administration and the central government.

Endriartono did not give a direct response to the five
regencies' demand, but said all sides should stop any activities
that affect the lives of Acehnese in the province.

"It would be better to utilize development funds to improve
people's welfare than waste them on idle (separatist)
activities," he said.

Endriartono warned GAM against using guns or violence to fight
for targets, saying it would never solve the prolonged conflict.

Thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed since GAM
took up arms in 1976 to fight for the province's separation from
Indonesia.